2105 Data Literacy Competencies for Informed Classroom Assessment Practice: Challenges and Measures Zuraimi Zakaria 1 , Nor Tutiaini Ab. Wahid 2 , Adibah Abdul Latif 3 1.2 Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, 3 Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia Corresponding Author Email: zurai125@uitm.edu.my Abstract This paper is firmly rooted in the perspective that data literacy is an indispensable competency. Its adoption leads to ethical, valid, and reliable classroom assessment practices, promoting improvements in learning outcomes. While it is recognized that teacher change and the adoption of new teaching practices can be slow and challenging, robust research findings indicate that they are indeed attainable through targeted, systematic, and concerted efforts. Therefore, the primary aim of this paper is to propose specific measures and intervention strategies to cultivate data literacy skills and foster meaningful data engagements. These proposals are rooted in empirical research findings related to data literacy, assessment literacy, data-driven decision-making (DDDM), and classroom assessments. The paper also delves into the ensuing recommendations and their implications for the educational landscape. Keywords: Data Literacy, Data-based Decision Making, DDDM, Assessment Literacy, Classroom Assessment. Introduction Data literacy is an essential skill that underpins data-use engagements and data-based interventions, contributing to improved teaching engagement (Diery, Vogel, Knogler & Seidel, 2020; Griffin & Francis, 2018; Masters, 2018; Miller, 2019; Popham, 2018; Woods & Coles- Janess, 2018), enhanced academic performance (Blasio & Francis, 2018; Bruniges, 2019; Griffin & Francis, 2018), and the empowerment of school improvement (Bruniges, 2019; OECD, 2014; Masters, 2018). There has been a significant emphasis on the importance of data use as a critical competency in effective classroom assessments and instructional activities in the past two decades (Mandinach & Gummer, 2016; Mandinach & Schildkamp, 2021; Van Geel, Keuning, Visscher & Fox, 2017). The introduction of educational reforms that strongly emphasize nurturing and developing 21st-century skills, as well as adopting curriculum frameworks that prioritize educational assessments, has placed greater weight on teaching practice (Ab. Wahid, 2022; Diery et al, 2020) and instructional decision-making centered on the use of data (Blasio & Francis, 2018; Bruniges, 2019; Zakaria & Latif, 2021). Hence, teachers Vol 12, Issue 3, (2023) E-ISSN: 2226-6348 To Link this Article: http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v12-i3/19320 DOI:10.6007/IJARPED/v12-i3/19320 Published Online: 28 September, 2023